The Cardinals are coming off a horrible loss, are dealing with distractions and are on the NCAA Tournament bubble. The Orange should try for an early knockout.

Three points

Louisville is 4-1 against Syracuse since the Cardinals joined the Big East at the start of the 2005-06 season. Syracuse’s only win in that time came at the Carrier Dome in the 2005-06 season. A crowd of 31,190 attended that game.

Everyone remembers how Louisville coach Rick Pitino led Providence to the 1987 Final Four. But not many remember that Pitino only coached for two years at Providence.

Pitino served as an assistant at Syracuse in the 1976-77 and 1977-78 seasons before becoming the head coach at Boston University.

Who's hot

He didn’t shoot the ball that well, making only four of 11 shots, but Kris Joseph posted his sixth straight double-digit scoring game with 13 points against Connecticut. He’s averaging 16.1 points in the six-game stretch.

Matchups

An assistant coach familiar with Louisville provided the rundown on the Cardinals' starters and bench.

Position

Louisville

Syracuse

Prime matchup: Center

24-Samardo SamuelsSo., 6-9, 260Dangerous in the paint. He can score any way possible in the paint. Good rebounder.

21-Arinze OnuakuSr., 6-9, 261Onuaku only scored seven points against UConn, but his nine rebounds were a season-high. His six blocks were a career-high.

00-Rick JacksonJr., 6-9, 240Jackson broke out of a mini-slump to score a game-high 15 points against UConn. He had games of six and five points against Providence and Cincinnati.

Louisville bench

Jared Swopshire’s an athletic kid who’s giving them good production off the bench. Kyle Kuric and Preston Knowles are two wings who you have to respect from the outside. Peyton Siva’s the heir apparent to Edgar Sosa at the point.